grasp (something) tightly

he stood clutching a microphone

Mrs Longhill clutched at the idea

a tight grasp

she made a clutch at his body

a mechanism for connecting and disconnecting an engine and the transmission system in a vehicle, or the working parts of any machine

she let the clutch in and the car surged forward

a clutch bag

(in sport) denoting or occurring at a critical situation in which the outcome of a game or competition is at stake

they both are hard-nosed players who seem to thrive in clutch situations

a group of eggs fertilized at the same time, laid in a single session and (in birds) incubated together

they lay fewer than ten eggs in a clutch

a slim, flat handbag without handles or a strap